tablespoon
tablespoon Lexical Profile
tablespoon Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A culinary unit of volume measurement, typically equivalent to three teaspoons or one-half of a fluid ounce.
"Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the hot skillet before sautéing the onions."
A large spoon used primarily for serving food or sometimes for eating liquid dishes from a bowl.
"She used an ornate silver tablespoon to serve the mashed potatoes at the holiday dinner."
Word Nuance & Usage
In recipes, a tablespoon is commonly abbreviated as 'tbsp' or 'T'. Note that a standard US or UK tablespoon is approximately 15 milliliters, whereas an Australian tablespoon is strictly 20 milliliters.
Word Origin & Etymology
Late 17th century: formed as a compound of 'table' and 'spoon', originally referring to a large spoon laid at the table for serving food rather than a personal utensil for eating.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.